Review: Saffron Road – Gluten Free Frozen Entrees

I am not usually a big fan of store bought frozen meals, however there are times when one of my family members needs a quick meal and there is no time to cook from scratch. The gluten free entrees fromSaffron Road are one of the few store bought frozen entrees that I actually enjoy eating and feel good about feeding to my family. I feel that Saffron Road’s frozen meals are a cut above the rest; check out a few of their FAQ’s and I am sure you will agree:

How does Saffron Road guarantee that its livestock are treated humanely?

We work with trusted, credible, third parties to certify that our livestock are treated humanely. Our chicken is Certified Humane® by the Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) and our lamb by the Global Animal Partnership. HFAC is endorsed by a consortium of animal welfare organizations, including the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Both of these standards require that animals have ample space, shelter and gentle handling to limit stress.

How are our livestock sourced?

We source from family owned and local sustainable farms, including Amish farms. For our lamb, we only use livestock that have never been administered hormones and been pasture-raised and grass-fed in open fields. For our poultry, they are totally antibiotic-free.

Are our livestock free-range?

Our Lamb is pasture-raised, but our chickens are not all free-range and here’s why – our chickens are raised cage-free indoors. Unlike caged chickens, they have plenty of room to move around as well as access to natural light and fresh air, plus additional features that help the birds express their natural characteristics, such as perching and dust bathing. Some of our farms have chosen to exclude outdoor access (and therefore cannot call 100% of our chickens “free-range”) because exposure to the elements can lead to disease (remember—we’re antibiotic-free!), and contact with outside birds could possibly expose them to such diseases as avian bird flu. Healthy, happy chickens are our goal!

Many Certified Humane® products are free-range, but welfare is more important to us than the farming system involved – and free-range does not automatically guarantee improved welfare. After many discussion from experts in veterinary and welfare science, farm animal research and people with practical farming experience we found that appropriately designed and well managed indoor systems can equally satisfy an animal’s key requirements.

What is Halal?

In Arabic, the word halal means permitted or lawful. Halal foods are foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines.

How are your products harvested?

All of our livestock are Zabihah or hand-slaughtered individually by a Muslim reciting the tasmiya and the takbir in a very mindful and traditional way—making sure to ask for mercy from our creator and treating the animal as humanely as possible. In this manner, we believe the quality and purity of the meat harvested is much cleaner since all the impurities are diligently drained and since the animal is not under stress. Our consumers overwhelmingly tell us that our all natural halal meat has an amazingly better taste, texture, and freshness that is far superior to the quality of commercial meat sourced from factory farms which machine slaughter their livestock. Our mission is ethical consumerism, which you can read about here: (http://www.altmuslim.com/a/a/a/4331). To learn more about why we DON’T like factory farming, please watchFood Inc.

Is Saffron Road gluten-free?

Most of our Saffron Road products are gluten free as certified by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization. GFCO provides an independent service to supervise gluten-free food production according to a consistent, defined, science-based standard that is confirmed by field inspections in order to achieve heightened consumer confidence and safety. All of our Gluten Free certified products are naturally free of gluten, so there is no sacrifice in flavor! Unlike some food manufacturers that may self-label themselves as Gluten Free, Saffron Road actually goes through the expense and effort of having the #1 Gluten Free certifier audit, inspect, and verify our GF products in order to provide that extra comfort and transparency to our consumers. Please check the front of our packaging for the GF button.

I have tried the Lamb Koftis and Lemongrass Basil Chicken from Saffron Road; both were very tasty! Neither entree was overly spicy, but there was an impressive flavor profile usually not found in store bought frozen foods. The chicken used in the Lemongrass Chicken meal was tender and fresh tasting; I was really impressed! I only wished that there was a bit more chicken in the meal because it was so enjoyable. The meatballs in the Lamb Koftis were pure comfort food, a simple yet satisfying dish.

I am looking forward to trying more Saffron Road gluten free frozen meals as they continue to update the packaging to reflect the gluten free status of each entree selection.

———————————Author Information: Cinde Shields, WA, USA
Cinde Shields is a freelance writer and the mother of a child with Celiac Disease and another with Autism, both of whom follow gluten free diets. Cinde started her Gluten Free Taste of Home blog as an effort to help others living a gluten free lifestyle by featuring gluten free product reviews, recipes, restaurant reviews and more.Website: Gluten Free Taste of Home